People often have a lot of stress around the combination of dogs and kids, and on some level, we can understand why. We know that we need to be careful about introducing newborns into a home a pup is used to having to himself, and that dogs don’t always quite understand that the little “human puppies” they love so much can’t always play the way their own pups would. Sometimes, there are misunderstandings and rivalries for attention and treats, especially of the food variety. Most of the time, though, we’ve found that dogs are great with children: kind, nurturing, and altogether gentle. And there’s no greater example than Sebastian the giant Newfoundland dog.

You might remember Sebastian from his previous appearances being adorable and searching for his friend Sierra, who likes to hide around the house until Sebastian finds her. (Sierra’s also quite fond of giving her “puppy” a bath. Sebastian seems . . . less fond of the experience, but he handles it, as ever, with patience.) Now they’re taking their super-cute playtime outside, and Sebastian shows that no matter where he has to look, he’ll always be the hide-and-seek champion. Just watch this clip from the family’s Rumble account, Samson And Sebastian.

So. Cute. There’s a lot to love about this pairing and their games. Last thing’s first— Sierra’s delight that Sebastian finds her every time is so sweet. She obviously thinks he has superpowers as she exclaims, “How did he find me?! I was under this blanket the whole time.” It only gets cuter when combined with Sebastian’s obvious happiness – and maybe even a little relief? – that’s he’s found her.

But I think it’s the way Sebastian stands so carefully at attention before the game starts that really makes this one. He may not really know what “counting,” is, but his patient, eager expression shows that he understands on some level that this game is fun, but could also be important one day— and the way he takes off when he hears Sierra call that she’s ready shows just how much he wants to be with his favorite little friend.

This family never has to worry with this sweet protector around. Watch more of Sebastian’s tricks here, and tell us: have you ever played “hide-and-go-seek” with a dog before? Do you get nervous when dogs are around your children, or do you trust them? Do you have cute stories of your own to share?